![](https://fiteqentityprod.blob.core.windows.net/news/797/heroImage/Teqball22.png)
Teqball's best athletes showed their strength in Slovakia and Portugal
The Teqball athletes who did not compete in P.R. China at the world series showed also their talent at other tournaments. One of the biggest debut was Adrian Duszak’s first time at international rendez-vous since he won the title in men’s singles at the World Teqball Championships 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand.
At every week of the summer of 2024, at least one Teqball tournament was held on the globe as the World Teqball Championships Qualifiers came soon to an end. However, next to the FITEQ’s top flight, other international bouts were held with the newly implemented event-categorization system. One Tier IV. & V. events were organised in Slovakia and one Tier V. in Portugal.
At the Presov Teqball Cup, the King of Teqball, Adrian Duszak stepped to the table at the international event for the first this season. As one of the top-seeded players, he did not compete in the group stage and started his conquest in the Round of 16 against the Austrian prodigy Alexander Hamm. The young talent could not surprise the world champion who advanced to the Quarterfinal where his compatriot, another wunderkind, Stefan Orlovski awaited him. The 15-year-old athlete stole the first set, but Duszak remained calm and won in three. In the Semi-final, three-time world champion in doubles, Csaba Banyik was Duszak’s opponent, and just like in the previous round, the Polish lost the first set, then took the next two. The record champion Adam Blazsovics stopped Duszak’s campaign and won in men’s singles.
In women’s singles, the Queen of 2022 did not give any chance to the opponents. Anna Izsak (HUN) swept the field and won the category without any single loss set.
Two duos were the favorites in men’s doubles and they lived up to the odds. The Hungarian world champions of the category: Csaba Banyik/Balazs Katz faced Adrian Duszak/Marek Pokwap in the final. Both doubles reached the last game confidently, by winning every match in two sets. As one of the biggest surprises, the Polish twosome continued their streak of two sets and triumphed with huge saves and punctual attacks.
Another duo rose from the “Land of Fields” in mixed doubles as Marek Pokwap returned to the table with his partner Alicja Bartnicka. The European bronze medalist pair got their first victory in 2024.
The success of the Presov Teqball Cup is perfectly shown as the event became Tier IV in the categorization which means more FITEQ World Ranking points to the athletes.
On the same weekend, Porto hosted the King & Queen of the Table tournament with three categories. The Tier V. clash could have been upgraded but one nation was missing in one of the three doubles categories. The French duo dominated in Porto as Hugo Rabeux (FRA) along with Brenno Reis Miller Silva Silva (BRA) beat Lucas Prado/Rayan Steglich (BRA) twice as they met first in the group stage and again in the final. On both occasion, the second set went to Prado/Steglich but could not finish the job.
Having seen the field of women’s doubles, two experienced pairs seemed to be the favourites and nobody changed this view. Zsofia Dezsenyi (HUN)/Nanna Lind Kristensen (DEN) complemented perfectly each other as the Danish player is great in defence while the Hungarian is an amazing smasher. Their opponents in the final were Maria Chedid (LEB)/Amelie Julian (FRA) who forced the game to three very close sets but finished with the silver medals.
In mixed doubles, the highest-ranked twosome, Julien/Rabeux were only surprised once when Dezsenyi/Silva won the second set and the sides decided the title in the third. The French duo used their experience and although the whole game was very close they won by three points.
Exactly the same weekend as the Teqball World Series Qingdao, the Zilina Teqball Open was held. Although this event could have been also Tier IV, the regulation allows only one upgrade per country and as Presov was organized earlier, the rendez-vous in Zilina stayed as Tier V. category tournament despite the four categories.
The field was huge with 22 players from 7 different countries and however, and one nation dominated it. Only one Romanian, Peter Gergely reached the Quarterfinals next to the seven Hungarians. In the end, Blazsovics triumphed against Milan Csabi in the final.
Petra Pechy shocked her opponent in the Semi-final as she was mostly known for doubles but managed to win against Izsak in two sets and reached the final where European champion and world bronze medalist Kinga Barabasi (ROU) faced her. Although the closest match Barabasi had to play was the final, she triumphed and won the title of women’s singles.
The newly formed duo, Blazsovics/Gyorgydeak who won the season’s very first international event, the Belgian International Teqball Open were just too strong, too good for the opponents. They let only 2,5 points per set to the away team and swept the field of men’s doubles.
Gyorgydeak did not finish with the Zilina Teqball Open after the victory and although not as confidently as in MD, he won his second gold medal in Slovakia. This time, his compatriot Barabasi was his partner.
Summer continues with three international events, the OSiR Kobyłka Teqball Cup IV on August 17 & 18, the Lithuanian Teqball Open - 2nd Stage on August 24 and one week later, the two-day event, Santarém International Teqball Cup on August 30 and September 1. Player registrations are still open. To sign up, visit our international events’ site.